As the state championship game approaches, Whitey prepares to coach the final game of his career while the team deals with the pressure of the once-in-a-lifetime game. Peyton finally admits to Lucas that she loves him, but Lucas is unable to repond right away. Meanwhile, Karen dishes out some tough love to Deb in order to help her deal with her addition; Haley learns the sex of her and Nathan's baby; Dan strikes a deal with Daunte; and Nathan and Lucas clash over the team and their own personal goals. However, everyone's emotions following the game are overshadowed when both Haley and Lucas are rushed to the hospital following a devistating accident.

Announcer: (opening voiceover) And there is no joy in Tree Hill tonight because the Ravens have lost the state championship. Whitey Durham is the picture of a broken man and you have to think will this opportunity ever come around again. There are tears and there are questions. No doubt about it, hearts are breaking in Tree Hill tonight.

Announcer:(closing voiceover) Time is running out, now. And I tell you, you've gotta feel for Nathan Scott. I mean, sure, he has made some mistakes, but you get the sense that if this is how it ends he's never going to forgive himself. And Lucas Scott is being swarmed! I wouldn't doubt it if they didn't carry the kid out of here tonight and never bring him back. I have never seen some of these kids so happy. And can you blame them? They've been waiting a long time for this moment. And there at the center of it all is Whitey Durham; standing alone, taking it all in. Ladies and gentlemen, the Tree Hill Ravens are champions at last, and there's not a dry eye in the house.

Nathan: I need to ask you a question. If I don't go to Duke, if I don't play college basketball- I mean if today is the best it ever gets for me, will that be enough?Haley: Of course! Nathan, as long as you are a good husband and a good father to your son.Nathan: What?Haley: It's a boy Nathan. You're going to have a son! Although I have to tell you, someday he's going to tease his father for playing like crap at the state championship. You might want to change that.

Lucas: Peyton! It's you.Peyton: What?Lucas: When all my dreams come true, the one I want next to me. It's you. It's you Peyton.

Lucas:(referring to Skills) So you gonna tell him he's not going to college or should I?Nathan: It's one game. It's one high school basketball game. You think it really matters if we don't win?Lucas: I don't know. How about you ask them?

Mouth: You know, say what you will about the ravages of sports in this corporate age where overpaid athletes expect prima-donna treatment, but there's still something so unifying about sporting in its purest form; when athletes rise above themselves and touch greatness, and in doing so remind us all that we all have greatness inside of us.Gigi: You're sexy when you talk like that.

The game winning play where Nathan tries to shoot a basket but ends up passing to Lucas instead parallels the last play of the playoff game in "The Games That Play Us". Like in this episode, Nathan passes the ball to Lucas who attempts a game-winning three-point shot, but misses. After the exact same play, and after Lucas telling Nathan that "It doesn't mean anything if you miss the shot", the same line used in "The Games That Play Us", Lucas takes a three-point, game-winning shot, but unlike the season 1 playoff game, Lucas nails the shot.